Los Angeles is reeling from the devastating impact of its most destructive fire yet - the Palisades blaze that ravaged parts of the city last January. But as the city begins the arduous process of rebuilding, questions linger about how leaders at the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) responded to the initial Lachman fire that reignited days later into a massive inferno.
According to recent reports by the LA Times, firefighters were ordered to leave the original site of the smaller blaze despite their concerns that the ground was still smoldering. The move came just hours after the battalion chief told them it was a "bad idea" to leave the burn scar. Yet, their warnings fell on deaf ears.
The Lachman fire was small, at just 8 acres, but its impact would be catastrophic. Flames whipped by 100mph winds ravaged large parts of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Topanga, ultimately killing 12 people and destroying over 6,800 structures. A man has been arrested and charged with maliciously igniting the Lachman fire.
The investigation into the blaze's origins has grown more intense in recent weeks, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordering a full review of the response to the initial fire. The LA Times has published bombshell revelations about the initial response, including text messages revealing that firefighters spoke with their battalion chief shortly after it broke out.
But despite the growing scrutiny, the LAFD's response remains shrouded in mystery. A 70-page after-action report on the Palisades fire, released in early October, notes only that the fire began in the Santa Monica Mountains below the burn scar of the previous Lachman fire and ravaged the areas of Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu.
The city's public safety committee recently appointed Jamie Moore as the permanent chief to lead the fire department, with a mandate to spearhead an independent probe into the handling of the Lachman fire. The investigation will focus on restoring confidence in the fire department and ensuring that lessons are learned from every incident.
Critics say that the response to the Palisades fire warrants an independent inquiry, akin to a "Pearl Harbor moment" for the city's fire services. Zev Yaroslavsky, who spent 20 years on the LA city council, says that the events surrounding the blaze and its aftermath are "still crying out for that kind of independent analysis."
The investigation is crucial in restoring trust and confidence in the LAFD, which has long been regarded as one of the best fire departments in the world. However, many questions remain unanswered, and Bass's office must provide answers as communities continue to rebuild.
As the city grapples with the aftermath of the Palisades blaze, it is clear that a full and transparent investigation is essential to preventing such disasters from occurring again.
According to recent reports by the LA Times, firefighters were ordered to leave the original site of the smaller blaze despite their concerns that the ground was still smoldering. The move came just hours after the battalion chief told them it was a "bad idea" to leave the burn scar. Yet, their warnings fell on deaf ears.
The Lachman fire was small, at just 8 acres, but its impact would be catastrophic. Flames whipped by 100mph winds ravaged large parts of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Topanga, ultimately killing 12 people and destroying over 6,800 structures. A man has been arrested and charged with maliciously igniting the Lachman fire.
The investigation into the blaze's origins has grown more intense in recent weeks, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordering a full review of the response to the initial fire. The LA Times has published bombshell revelations about the initial response, including text messages revealing that firefighters spoke with their battalion chief shortly after it broke out.
But despite the growing scrutiny, the LAFD's response remains shrouded in mystery. A 70-page after-action report on the Palisades fire, released in early October, notes only that the fire began in the Santa Monica Mountains below the burn scar of the previous Lachman fire and ravaged the areas of Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu.
The city's public safety committee recently appointed Jamie Moore as the permanent chief to lead the fire department, with a mandate to spearhead an independent probe into the handling of the Lachman fire. The investigation will focus on restoring confidence in the fire department and ensuring that lessons are learned from every incident.
Critics say that the response to the Palisades fire warrants an independent inquiry, akin to a "Pearl Harbor moment" for the city's fire services. Zev Yaroslavsky, who spent 20 years on the LA city council, says that the events surrounding the blaze and its aftermath are "still crying out for that kind of independent analysis."
The investigation is crucial in restoring trust and confidence in the LAFD, which has long been regarded as one of the best fire departments in the world. However, many questions remain unanswered, and Bass's office must provide answers as communities continue to rebuild.
As the city grapples with the aftermath of the Palisades blaze, it is clear that a full and transparent investigation is essential to preventing such disasters from occurring again.
I gotta say, this whole thing is super sus. The fact that firefighters were told to leave the original site despite their concerns about smoldering embers is just crazy. It's like they were being sent out into a lion's den with no backup plan. And now we're hearing that the battalion chief himself warned them it was a bad idea, but nobody listened? 
just saw this and my mind is blown... LA firefighters were literally told to leave the scene despite knowing the ground was still smoldering 
how can you leave a fire scene like that?! it's like they put lives at risk for no reason 
anyway, need to keep digging into this story... [www.latimes.com](http://www.latimes.com)
the fact that firefighters were told to leave the burn scar despite their concerns is just unbelievable. they're like the real heroes in this story, putting their lives on the line to try and save people and properties.
we need to come together to support each other and rebuild our city stronger than ever.
that 100mph wind was wild though, no doubt about it 
& 6,800 structures destroyed?! 
can u even imagine the rebuild process? 
gotta see those answers from Mayor Bass's office ASAP 
i mean who was in charge at the time? why did they make those decisions? these are questions that need answers ASAP so we can all move forward without having to live with the trauma of that fire
which is just too much. seriously though, how are they going to restore confidence in the LAFD when we still dont know what really happened? i hope this investigation brings some real answers and not just more spin